Former Leeds United target Luca Marrone reportedly available on loan this summer

According to a report from Italian website TMW, Juventus player Luca Marrone could be set for a summer loan move, with newly-promoted Carpi allegedly interested in the 25-year-old.

The news will be of interest to Leeds United fans because Marrone was linked with a move to Elland Road back in January, with TMW claiming at the time that Nicola Salerno had identified the player as the perfect midfield addition.

Marrone is a versatile player, who can feature as a centre-back or as a defensive midfielder, and it was reported at the time that it was in the latter position that Leeds saw him as a potential option.

In the end no deal was agreed and Leeds instead moved for Granddi Ngoyi, whose time at the club is best forgotten given that injuries meant he featured just once. But the news that Marrone is now available for loan could prick the ears of owner Massimo Cellino if he shared Salerno’s initial thoughts.

Marrone’s versatility marks him out as a potentially wonderful loan signing for Leeds; a player who could replace Rudy Austin but also act as back-up for the likes of Liam Cooper, Giuseppe Bellusci and (assuming he arrives as expected) Sol Bamba.

Marrone did not feature for Juventus last season, but he has played 23 times for them in the past and is a former Italy under-21 international.

Vincent Ralph

After graduating with a degree in English Literature, Vincent completed a NCTJ-accredited qualification in newspaper and magazine journalism in 2005. He has worked for HITC for four years and is now Head of Editorial and Journalist Standards.